Minutes of 3rd AIS Parent Council Meeting -2018/2019 held on 05.11.2018

Minutes

3rd AIS Parent Council Meeting -2018/2019

Date | time 05.11.2018/15:45 | Meeting called to order by Jane Awuh (Secretary)

In attendance

List of attendees:

Nagarajan Lakshamanen	Grade 1B – R
Kristine Iversby	3A – (deputy representative, DR)
Per Annar  Sandaune	10 - DR
Sofie Holte	3A - R
Allison Thom	2B
Malgorzata Gradziel	2A – R
Mark Williams	10 – R
Kate Rushdy	5A
Edd Smith	1A – (R, swapped with voted Rep)
Mette Reitz	6 - R
Anurag Sahajpal	7 - R
Kathrin Volkmer	4A – DR
Jane Awuh	2A – DR
Robert Smallshire	5B
Anja Stidahl	9- DR
Vidhi	2B
Mr Robert Browne	Principal (beginning of meeting)

Principal’s Statement

Principal R. Browne was present to update on the following:

AIS campus: The principal will be meeting with the mayor along with the AIS board chair to continue lobbying for the possibility of acquisition of the campus.

2019/2020 school budget: The administration is working on this budget that should be approved by the AIS board. The PC chair will be invited to the board meeting when it is scheduled within 2018. He added that it is expected that about 0.5million NOK will be allocated for professional development of staff. This because AIS seeks to establish itself as a key player in contributing to increasing a sub-optimal pool of quality staff around the country in international schools. AIS will be hosting the professional development platform for international schools in Norway for the 3^rd time.

Recruitment and retention of Norwegian teachers who teach Norwegian has been difficult and it is hoped that such initiatives would address this problem and increase the pool of qualified teachers.

Risenga Skole/AIS campus/traffic situation: The school started sharing the campus with students from Risenga from 09.10.2018. This has been working fine so far although there had been a few conflicts about spaces which are under control. The principal added that the AIS staff will continue to be more vigilant around campus. He has also extended collaboration efforts towards the Risenga staff to improve relationships. Risenga staff have been informed on the traffic conditions around AIS just as AIS parents who continue to be cautioned to use common sense to protect our children from avoidable traffic incidents. He also noted that suggestions on making the traffic situations even better are always welcome.

Student surveys: To clarify this survey mentioned in the last minutes, the principal indicated that this survey organized by the government is to evaluate the school environment from the student’s perspective. This survey is intended for grades 8-10 but at AIS it is extended down to grad 6. It was on-going, and results are expected January. The PC will be informed of the results.

Homework: A question was addressed to the principal if there was any format for homework that is recommended by the IB programme, to which he said no but homework was intended to incorporate interdisciplinary skills development and varies for the different grades depending on their actual curriculum.

The principal took his leave and the PC meeting proceeded.

Approval of last minutes

The minutes from the last meeting were promptly approved and adopted.

Meeting chair

The meeting was chaired by Jane Awuh.

Budget and financial situation

The committee was updated on the financial status of the PC by Mette. A cash box of 1000NOK was now in her keeping to serve as change and cash supply during events when necessary.

Funds had been disbursed for the purchase of a popcorn machine that was taken into use during the Halloween party.

The hotplates are still on hold until more information on the needs is gathered.

More details of the financial situation are readily available from the Treasurer who will give an update at the monthly meetings.

2018/2019 Activities/ New business

·         SFO offer: The Chair agreed to ask the school to send out an offer/plan for SFO ahead of long holidays to give parents a chance to register their children in those periods when these services would normally not be available unless many show interest.

·         Winter concert: The committee in charge of the organization are at work in planning and everything is on track. The PC will be updated as more information becomes available.

·         Other matters on the agenda raised for discussion by Kavita (who unfortunately was absent) were postponed until she was back.

·         Committees: There was some progress in forming committees to run the year's PC-led activities:

-          Year book (organize photos and portraits): Kyle, Jane, Gosia, Mark, Naga led by Kyle.

It will be important to find a volunteer for photographing of portraits of the children. It was agreed that an email will be sent to the PC body for possible solutions. This is important to keep costs down and make the year books more affordable.

-          Hot dog sales: At least 2 volunteers are still needed to go ahead with this activity hence the start-up is extended into the next weeks hoping more parents would volunteer (Current volunteers: Kate, Tara, Gosia, perhaps Kyle).

Committee reports

Halloween (October 26^th for grades 1-5): Kyle Depew who led the organization of the event updated on the immense success of the party. All kids were happy with enough popcorn and bites to go around.  He highlighted the brilliant contribution of the middle school girls who organized the ‘haunted house’. He noted he had talked to the school to acknowledge the contribution of the girls in some way, hopefully to get others encouraged to volunteer next time and why not the same students for other activities. Most parents were satisfied too with the Halloween reports form their kids.

Announcements to the Parent Council

-          The PC committee is looking for a volunteer photographer for portraits of the children for the year book, 2019. Please contact your class rep if you can or know a professional for a deal.

-          Volunteers needed for PC-led activities (Hot dog sales once a month), please contact your class representative if you find the time to help out.

-          Parents are encouraged to visit the AIS blog and join the AIS Parents Facebook group that also circulates information on events and more.

-          Meetings take place once a month, on the first Monday of every month at 15:40 prompt, chaired by the Chair. Please send issues for discussions via your class reps.

-          The PC blog will be updated as usual by the Secretary with minutes and other important announcements/events

Next meeting

03.12.2018, at 15:40 in AIS.

The meeting ended at approximately 16:50.

Minutes of 2nd AIS Parent Council Meeting -2018/2019 held on 08.10.2018

Minutes

2^nd AIS Parent Council Meeting -2018/2019

Date | time 08.10.2018/15:40 | Meeting called to order by Jane Awuh (Secretary)

In attendance

List of attendees:

Tara Tinholt	Grade 5A
Kristine Iversby	3A – (deputy representative, DR)
Per Annar  Sandaune	10
Sofie Holte	3A - R
Kavita Chaudhary	8 – R
Bard Osland?	4B
Mark Williams	10 – R
Kate Rushdy	5A
Andrew Langridge	9 – R
Mette Reitz	6 - R
Anurag Sahajpal	7 - R
Ragnhild Krøglid	6 - DR
Jane Awuh	2A – DR
Tale	4B - R
Mr Robert Browne	Principal (beginning of meeting)

A handful of reps graciously sent in their excuses for absence.

Principal’s Statement

Principal R. Browne was present to update on the following:

Halloween (October 26^th for grades 1-5): Some students were helping Kyle Depew in organizing the event by volunteering on road terror etc. There was a comment that some parents had complained that images used in the facebook Halloween announcement was too scary for some kids but the consensus was that it was not supposed to be available to kids under 13 years old.

UN Day (24^th October): As part of the celebrations, the school needed more volunteer speakers, while some parents had already volunteered to speak.

Risenga Skole/AIS campus: The school was going to start sharing the campus with students from Risenga from 09.10.2018. The principal added that the AIS staff will be more vigilant around campus. The hope is that the property would eventually be bought by AIS. There will be a meeting with the mayor on the 22.11.2018 on that topic. He hoped that the conversation of acquisition will be concluded within 2019, for political reasons that Asker kommune will be merging with other kommunes and the fate of that building might be down-prioritized.

Student surveys: Its one that is required by the government and is scheduled for January.

Winter concert: The school had decided to split it into 2 due to the large number of potential attendees. PYP / MYP scheduled for December 12^th and 19^th, at the Asker konferanse senter. Last year at the same location, the event costed about 20 000NOK hence it is expected to cost 2x as much this year.

Food delivery: The delivery of lunch to school had been suspended due to the large amount of one-time-use plastic and food waste. The caterers have come up with alternatives for improvement that the school has decided to try out again: paper wrappings, foil, etc. The first delivery was expected on Oct. 15^th until December 2018. Quality and wrappings will then be reevaluated.

Some constructions were ongoing around campus.

 The principal took his leave and the PC meeting proceeded.

Approval of last minutes

The minutes from the last meeting were promptly adopted.

Meeting chair

In the absence of the chair and her deputy, the meeting was well-chaired by Kate Rushdy.

 Budget and financial situation

The committee was updated on the financial status of the PC by Mette (see last minutes too as not much had changed).

With approval from the PC, a cash box of about 1000NOK will be kept with the Treasurer to serve as change and cash supply during events when necessary.

Proposed purchases too for the academic year (see last minutes) were also approved and the funds would be disbursed for the purpose to the responsible individuals (Kyle and Mette).

More details of the financial situation are readily available from the Treasurer who will give an update at the monthly meetings.

2018/2019 Activities/ New business

·         An email regarding producing AIS memorabilia (sweatshirts) from the producers was agreed to be referred to the school via the PC chair.

·         There was an effort to form committees to run the years PC-led activities:

-          Year book (organize photos and portraits): Kyle and volunteers he can find.

-          Teachers’ appreciation lunch: Kate, Tale, Kavita, Mette.

-          Hotdog sales: Once a month. Kate and Tara (at least 5 volunteers were needed to run the activity so it was agreed to post an announcement on facebook to get more volunteers. The grade 10 rep, Mark, also suggested he could find out from the school if grade 10 students could volunteer as part of their school projects)

Committee reports

There was an update on how the first activity of the year, Breakfast, concluded. There were very positive responses from class reps and teachers. Overall it was a big success. Grade 10 did not get the opportunity to organize one this time around.

Announcements

-          Volunteers needed for PC-led activities (Hot dog sales once a month), please contact your class representative if you find the time to help out.

-          Parents are encouraged to join the AIS Parents Facebook group that also circulates information on events and more.

-          Meetings take place once a month, on the first Monday of every month at 15:40 prompt, chaired by the Chair.

-          The PC blog will be updated as usual by the Secretary with minutes and other important announcements/events

Next meeting

05.11.2018, at 15:40 in AIS.

The meeting ended at approximately 17:00.